Wouldn't you know it. Having had its ears pinned back in court, Florida's Orlando NOW has decided it, too, need a specialty license plate and is "calling out nationally to all artists, designers, and inspired individuals to submit original artwork for their Pro-Choice License Plate Art/Design Contest."

It's been a kind of slow-motion response. Three years ago the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rebuffed the Women's Emergency Network's efforts to sue the State of Florida to discontinue the "Choose Life" license plate. But, better late than never. The local NOW chapter is "mobilizing its forces" to "show anti-choice groups that they are not in the majority."

According to a press release, the contest runs from April 1 through September 1.The three finalists "will have their artwork shown and judged at an area art gallery," and "The winner's design will become an emblem of activist agency in the effort to secure approval for the specialty plate from the Florida State House."

Florida's "Choose Life" specialty license plate is the model of simplicity. Against a yellow background, it shows a drawing of two children with the words "Choose Life" at the top.

Besides Florida, Choose Life license plates can now be offered to motorists in 13 states, as appeals courts recently allowed the plates to be sold in Louisiana and Tennessee. Proceeds from the sale of the license plates go to help crisis pregnancy centers and adoption assistance groups.

Motorists pay an extra fee each year, often about $25, to display the license plates. The other states that offer the specialty plates are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. The tags will also be available soon in Kentucky.

Let's see, what slogan could the pro-abortionists use? "Choose Death"? Probably not.

How about, "If You're Reading This, Your Traitorous Mother Chose Life"? Naw.

Well, there's always (and this is an actual tee-shirt), "Abortion is Cool." That at least has the virtue of candor.

I mentioned the press release to a colleague who shook his head. "You know they have this illusion that they, and abortion, are really popular," he said. "Are they in for a surprise."

If you have any comments or questions please send them to Dave Andrusko at dandrusko@nrlc.org.